The tool and die industry has been constantly plagued by the cost, difficulty and down time occasioned in servicing die assemblies due to the frequent need for sharpening worn or damaged die tools. Each time one tool of an assembly must be sharpened there is a consequent reduction of its operative length. This dictates that all of the rest of the tools in the same assembly must be reformed, whether they need it or not, in order to bring their operating ends into the proper frame of reference with respect to the new operating end of the sharpened tool. Since most of the die tools are headed, there is no choice but to work on their operating ends in order to reduce their operative length as required. Where forming tools are involved, the difficulties are compounded since the operating ends of such tools are normally quite complex and of material that is difficult to machine.
It is to the solution of the above noted problem that the present invention is directed. It provides a generally new and improved construction for work performing members in the nature of tool and die components which minimizes the time and cost entailed in servicing die assemblies as necessitated by the frequent need for sharpening or adjusting worn or damaged die components.
The present invention has special advantage in application to forming tools and dies the wear characterisitcs of which are considerably different from those of perforator type punches, for example, and their mating dies. It will accordingly be described in this frame of reference, but only by way of example and not by way of limitation.